Posted on 02/04/2006 7:15:54 PM PST by SJackson
Our Thursday story about a proposed bill that would allow guns onto college campuses drew quite a response.
Thanks in large part, apparently, to a call to vote from the conservative Web site freerepublic.com, our poll question garnered more than 2,000 votes -- more than 90 percent in favor of the legislation.
And more than 30 of you visited the roanoke.com message board to voice your own opinions. Here is a sample of what you said:
>I am for gun rights but changing this could endanger lives, it's all about someone having the power to say no to carrying a weapon and the masses do not like it. -- tyreesr
>As a VT employee, I know that the university campus is not immune from having crime. Cops do their best, but they can't be everywhere at once! People need to have the option to protect themselves, and I see no reason why people who have the training required to get a concealed weapons permit should be barred from carrying their weapons on campus. -- angelava
>It's completely unfair to create a patchwork of laws across the state so that a law-abiding citizen legally carrying a gun becomes a criminal just by crossing the street. -- benminer
>No police organization has a specific duty to protect individuals. The only truly reliable defense is self-defense. -- 3fgburner
>The proposed legislation does not go far enough toward promoting safety on campus. I'd rather see state colleges and universities issue handguns to all students, a adopt a rule requiring they be carried at all times on campus. -- devoutchristian
>Anyone who knows Tech, or VCU, or any other campus for that matter, knows that boundaries are crossed as simply as crossing a street, or sidewalk. Town of Blacksburg is OK to carry, Tech, no. Or Richmond vs. VCU. Get my point? Students typically cross these borders several times a day. Essentially, to ban guns from campus, schools are disarming citizens from the "real" world. -- HokieCHPholder
>I think that any faculty and/or staff member that has been issued a permit to carry a gun should be allowed to carry that gun in their vehicle on a college campus. I'm not sure they need to have it on their person.
I do not think that ANY student (high school and/or college) should be eligible to get a permit to carry a gun!
There are somethings that are or should be reserved for adults. -- brownark
>What I would like to know is what VT will do when a student who is CHP holder is assaulted, raped, or killed on their watch, and either the victim or the bereaved family of the victim slaps VT with a big lawsuit for keeping that person from protecting themselves!?!?!? Wouldn't they be held liable? -- AndrewY
>Virginia law was specifically amended in 2003 by the General Assembly to allow even minor high school students to keep unloaded guns secured in their vehicles on K-12 school grounds. So who the heck is any VA college president to then tell these same folks when they graduate from high school that they **lose** gun rights by going to college? -- majstoll
> If a person has gone thru the minimum standards of what I believe should be and that's 4 hours gun safety and 100 rounds on a qualified firing range... and has a conceal carry should be allowed to carry on a university campus -- bondsman1
And why is that? Why should a college campus be a place you can not take a gun? Why should we allow free speech on campus? It's protected under the Bill of rights, as is the 2nd amendment. Sorry, but you just can't pick and choose whatever you fancy.
See post 37
In a word, 'No'.
Who do you think you are to make that determination?
No guns = no crime.
Tell that to the residents of Washington, D.C.
Gun control means using both hands while aiming.
What do you say to the young rape victims where a gun would have been a help? "Tough! My kid is an immature, irresponsible, and dumb kid and he would play with other people's guns while getting smashed at a kegger!"
Maybe young, stupid, boys should be banned from colleges so young, adult women can carry guns for protection without your drunken stupid kid killing someone.
Ah but see if you point that out to the resident of D.C they'll say people from VA are tunneling weapons up into the hands of people in D.C and that's why the gun crimes continue...
They are quick to point the blame instead of facing the truth. It's always someone elses fault that things arent going that way. They never stop to think that making those laws only effects people who will follow them.
And the mere mention of one can inflame liberals.......
Let us just go back in time a little bit. Lets see before the 1990's it was legal to have guns on many college campuses. It is the restrictions that are new. I know this is hard for some to believe but it is so. I know I had one in my car, dorm or purse. No one thought anything about it.
Oh, if we only had a dime....
I don't know if the rest of the Freeposphere is listening,m but I am. That's an excellent idea, and I'm doing that from now on.
Private colleges, yes. Virginia Tech, VCU, and other institutions mentioned are state universities...i.e. public institutions on public property.
Both hands. One pistol in each.
What?!
FR is not conservative. It's MAINSTREAM.
You think college security is going to be around to help? Those guys are most likely going to be college kids themselves, doing security on a work-study basis. They're not obligated to help anyone.
So yes, there should be concealed-carry on campuses, definetly. Here in Green Bay, at the university there has been several high-profile sexual assaults. UWGB is surrounded by wooded areas, paths and the lakefront, as well as the highway. Walking out on campus at night you might as be wearing a "rob me" sign.
When I attended VT (then VPI) we had guns (other than the issued ROTC M1) on a gun rack in my dorm room.
When I attended VT (then VPI) we had guns (other than the issued ROTC M1) on a gun rack in my dorm room.
Tort libel or criminal libel? This crap comes nowhere close to satisfying the elements of criminal libel; consult your local DA for confirmation of this point.
So, tortious libel, then. OK, the elements to satisfy are, in no particular order, and varying slightly by state: 1) The words written must be defamatory and demonstrably untrue (as they say, truth is the perfect defense against libel -- slander, too, btw), 2) The words written must cause provable damage to the subject of the alleged libel, and 3) The author of the words must be found to have or have had malice toward the subject of the alleged libel. Some jurisdictions add one or two other elements, typically minor ones.
Postulating that the untruth of this piece is demonstrable, for instance because of the curious non-Free-Republic user handles cited, element 1 may be satisfied as to falsity. Fraud constitutes falsity, for purposes of libel. Whether or not element 1 is satisfied as to defamation is a gigantic can of worms.
Element 2 is highly doubtful; has Mr. Robinson, or Free Republic, or indeed any poster suffered any sort of damage from the publication of this slop? Dubious at best. Please note that ''emotional damage'' is not typically citable as valid in libel actions, but again this will vary by jurisdiction.
Element 3 is probably demonstrable, given the tone of political ''discourse'' these days. Malice and malicious intent are everywhere, and easily shown as a general thing. Further, willful negligence in ''research'' prior to the article would also satisfy this element, and it's easy enough to believe that the author of this tripe was at least considerably negligent.
Would I rather take the part of the complainant or the respondent here? Easy. The respondent, unless I were highly confident in being able to empanel a jury of FReepers. Even then, I'd want to empanel only the hardest heads.
Libel is a non-starter here, m'friend -- why waste time and money, and aggravate oneself into the bargain?
Full disclosure: I am not nor ever have been involved in the practice of law. My experience with libel stems from having been a complainant in two such actions (both successful, thank you). We've any number of attorneys on here. Why not ping a few of them to the thread for some really expert advice?
Best to you, and FReegards!
ping
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.